The invention relates to a securing device and method for securing doors against forced break-ins, in general. Such a securing device protects doors from being forced in from the outside.
Devices are known for protecting doors from being forced open, such as door chains, the POLICE LOCK, and the DOORCLUB (t.m.).
The known devices are inadequate to permit a small opening of the door while keeping the door secured against forced entry. The POLICE LOCK does not provide this flexibility. It has to be engaged at all times and does not allow the door to be opened to a limited degree at all.
Door chains and the DOORCLUB could both be disabled rather easily once the door is unlocked and partially opened. A chain, even if it is strong enough to withstand force and not to rupture, could easily be sawn through or cut with a metal cutter. The DOORCLUB could be disabled through a partially or cracked-opened door using a very primitive tool (a metal rod bent into Z-form at an angle). Disabling a door chain or a DOORCLUB becomes particularly easy if the occupant is incapacitated, by Mace, for example, through the door opening.
The principal weakness of the DOORCLUB design is that it is functional in only two fixed positions: (1) when it is flush against the door thus preventing any movement of the door while supporting it from being forced in; and (2) when reversed, it permits the door to be opened a little while continuing to protect it from being forced in. The crucial fault is that when changing from position (1) to position (2) or vice-versa one must lift the DOORCLUB out of its floor socket, thus temporarily disabling the protection while it is out of its floor socket. This instant could be sufficient for someone to force the door in. Although the DOORCLUB can be pivoted in the floor if the door were out of the way, e.g. completely open, the DOORCLUB can not be pivoted from position (1) to position (2) since the closed door prevents pivoting of the DOORCLUB. That is the DOORCLUB only can undergo a non-functionally pivoting if the DOORCLUB is not against the door.